We at OnTheIssues.org ask all candidates for answers to our 20 questions in our VoteMatch quiz. The following Senate candidates have responded in detail. Responding to press inquiries like ours shows a level of openness that augurs well for the candidate in office, regardless of party affiliation.

Almost always, the incumbent ignores our requests, indicating that they don't want their constituents to know their issue stances. We track their voting records accordingly, and infer their VoteMatch responses based on those. We also collect up public statements and book excerpts, and include those in our VoteMatch quiz results as well.

Below are the responses from this year's candidates.

-- Jesse Gordon, jesse@OnTheIssues.org

OnTheIssues.org excerpts:(click on issues for details)

AbortionAndrew Hunt: Abortion is a woman's right, with limits.
Emily Sanchez: Supports abortion as a woman's right.
Randall Batson: Support abortion as a woman's right.
Gordon Howie: Life is a child's right; this led me into politics.
Doug Butzier: Leave abortion decisions to the states.
John Buckley: Protections of law apply to the unborn child.
Mark Swaney: Agrees with and supports Roe v. Wade.
Heather Johnson: Abortion is social issue, not government issue.
Frank Gilbert: Life begins at conception.
Sean Haugh: Supports abortion rights.
Jeff Bell: Science demonstrates that the unborn are human.
Jeff Bell: Ban abortion after 20 weeks, or for sex selection.
Sam Clovis: Pro-life from conception to natural, dignified death.
Matthew Hess: Supports right to abortion although personally opposed.
Tom Hoefling: Strongly opposes abortion.
Karen Testerman: Right to life is a fundamental principle.
Rob Maness: 100% pro-life.
Sharon Hansen: Personally opposes abortion, but decision up to each woman.
Matt Wiedenhoeft: Strongly pro-life.
Scott Keller: Find non-life-ending options for ending a pregnancy.
Scott Keller: It's not a woman's choice whether baby lives or dies.
Scott Keller: The baby's body is not the woman's body; provide new options.

EnvironmentAndrew Hunt: Human needs over animal rights.
Emily Sanchez: No 'rights' to clean air and water.
Randall Batson: Indifferent to whether there's a 'right' against pollution.
Gordon Howie: Human needs are always paramount.
Doug Butzier: Clean air and water are in the public domain.
John Buckley: People should be able to legally enforce clean air & water.
Chad Taylor: Good farmers use best practices, as stewards of the land.
Mark Swaney: Every human being has a right to clean air and water.
Heather Johnson: Those who harm the environment should pay for cleanup.
Frank Gilbert: Courts are betetr protectors of environment than regulators.
Sean Haugh: Human needs & animal rights are not necessarily in conflict.
Jeff Bell: Supports human needs over animal rights.
Sam Clovis: Balance animal rights with human needs.
Matthew Hess: Animal rights unequal to human rights.
Tom Hoefling: Strongly supports human needs over animal rights.
Karen Testerman: Reasonable humane treatment of animals is proper.
Rob Maness: Human needs over animal rights.
Sharon Hansen: God gave man dominion over the animals.
Matt Wiedenhoeft: Human needs over animal rights.
Scott Keller: We are the stewards of this planet.
Scott Keller: No $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program.
Scott Keller: Stop the profit-driven destruction of the planet.

Foreign PolicyAndrew Hunt: Maintain U.S. sovereignty from the U.N.
Emily Sanchez: Supports maintaining U.S. sovereignty from the U.N.
Randall Batson: Strongly supports maintaining U.S. sovereignty from the U.N.
Gordon Howie: Maintain US sovereignty from UN.
Doug Butzier: Dialogue via UN ok, but no US troops under UN control.
John Buckley: The United Nations is a joke.
Chad Taylor: Diplomatic solutions are always preferable.
Mark Swaney: US should be more active in the UN.
Heather Johnson: The U.S. is not the U.N. nor the world police.
Frank Gilbert: US Constitution offers greater protection than UN.
Sean Haugh: Supports maintaining US sovereignty from UN.
Jeff Bell: Maintain US sovereignty from UN.
Sam Clovis: National sovereignty maintains national identity.
Matthew Hess: Keep US sovereign from UN, and from other nations too.
Tom Hoefling: Strongly supports US sovereignty from UN.
Karen Testerman: Maintain US sovereignty from UN.
Rob Maness: Maintain US sovereignty from UN.
Sharon Hansen: Maintain US sovereignty from UN.
Matt Wiedenhoeft: Maintain US sovereignty from UN.
Jim Rubens: Maintain US sovereignty from UN.
Scott Keller: Be helpers, not conquerors.

Government ReformAndrew Hunt: Stricter limits on political campaign funds.
Emily Sanchez: Opposes stricter enforcement of voting rights.
Randall Batson: Indifferent to stricter enforcement of the right to vote.
Gordon Howie: Freely give to political campaigns, but with full disclosure.
Doug Butzier: Make sure that votes are legal, & that people vote only once.
John Buckley: Require photo identification for voting.
Mark Swaney: Make it easier to vote; voter ID laws make it harder.
Heather Johnson: End need for big money; open up elections to third parties.
Frank Gilbert: Voting should not be limited by the government.
Sean Haugh: Opposes stricter limits on political campaign funds.
Jeff Bell: Higher campaign contributions will help non-incumbents.
Don Berwick: Fight overturn or repeal Citizens United.
Sam Clovis: Money is speech; no campaign finance limitations.
Matthew Hess: Divest money from political campaigns; no "buying office".
Tom Hoefling: Limits on campaign funds violate the First Amendment.
Karen Testerman: Transparency at all levels for campaign funds.
Rob Maness: Opposes stricter limits on political campaign funds.
Sharon Hansen: Stricter limits on political campaign funds.
Matt Wiedenhoeft: Stricter limits on political campaign funds.
Jim Rubens: Public elections financing with restricted campaign spending.
Scott Keller: Round-robin voting, working up from local to national.
Scott Keller: Eliminate or reduce "retirement pay" for congressmen.
Scott Keller: End government secrecy; restore openness of information.
Scott Keller: Grant Washington DC an Electoral vote & vote in Congress.
Scott Keller: Strongly favors stricter limits on political campaign funds.

Gun ControlAndrew Hunt: Absolute right to gun ownership.
Emily Sanchez: Opposes an absolute right to gun ownership.
Randall Batson: Strongly supports an absolute right to gun ownership.
Gordon Howie: Absolute right to gun ownership.
Doug Butzier: Absolute right to gun ownership.
John Buckley: Supports right to gun ownership.
Mark Swaney: Regulate 2nd Amendment rights for the good of society.
Heather Johnson: Even non-violent MLK kept guns at home for self-defense.
Heather Johnson: Right to self-defense and right to rebel.
Frank Gilbert: The Second Amendment is clear.
Sean Haugh: Supports absolute right to gun ownership.
Jeff Bell: Gun violence rooted in social breakdown, not gun ownership.
Don Berwick: Weapons of war have no place on our streets.
Sam Clovis: The right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
Matthew Hess: Right of self-defense is a natural right.
Tom Hoefling: Strongly supports gun rights.
Karen Testerman: Right of the people to keep and bear arms.
Rob Maness: Absolute right to gun ownership.
Sharon Hansen: I am 100% pro second amendment.
Sharon Hansen: Gun violence increases proportionate to level of gun control.
Matt Wiedenhoeft: Supports "open carry" and NRA.
Scott Keller: 2nd Amendment deters tyranny; not just self-defense.
Scott Keller: Favors absolute right to gun ownership.

Principles & ValuesEmily Sanchez: Opposes keeping God in the public sphere.
Randall Batson: Supports keeping God in the public sphere.
Gordon Howie: Strongly supports keeping God in the public sphere.
Doug Butzier: Oppose limits on prayer in public places.
John Buckley: Smaller state means less separation-of-church issue.
Chad Taylor: Separation of church and state isn't a relevant issue.
Mark Swaney: Religion has no place in government.
Heather Johnson: Support separation of church and state.
Frank Gilbert: Keep God, and all religion, in the public sphere.
Sean Haugh: Neutral on role of God in the public sphere.
Don Berwick: I believe steadfastly in the separation of church and state.
Sam Clovis: Separate church & state, but keep God in public square.
Matthew Hess: Keep government separate from religion.
Tom Hoefling: Strongly supports keeping God in the public sphere.
Karen Testerman: Our inalienable rights come from our Creator.
Rob Maness: Keep God in the public sphere.
Sharon Hansen: Vote based on majority views of constituents.
Sharon Hansen: If "God" in public places offends you, go elsewhere.
Sharon Hansen: God was given great importance by our founding fathers.
Matt Wiedenhoeft: Keep God in the public sphere.
Scott Keller: Seek the truth; do what works; don't do what doesn't work.
Scott Keller: Society's system of systems is fundamentally flawed.

TechnologyMatt Wiedenhoeft: Competitive marketplace on Internet, including data pricing.
Scott Keller: Technology not to be feared but to be controlled & utilized.

War & PeaceAndrew Hunt: Stay out of Iran.
Emily Sanchez: Supports staying out of Iran.
Randall Batson: Strongly supports staying out of Iran.
Gordon Howie: Stay out of Iran until there are no alternatives.
Doug Butzier: Stay out of Iran & stay out of everywhere.
John Buckley: Stay out or Iran but be a friend of freedom.
Chad Taylor: Sanctions on Iran are working; no further military action.
Chad Taylor: Air patrols on Syria ok; no deeper involvement.
Mark Swaney: Stay out of Iran.
Heather Johnson: No intervention in Iran; we harmed them too much already.
Frank Gilbert: Stay out of Iran, and Syria, and Bhutan...
Sean Haugh: Supports staying out of Iran.
Jeff Bell: Make sure Iran does not develop a nuclear weapons program.
Sam Clovis: Stop Iran's nuclear program now.
Matthew Hess: Stay out of Iran, and stay out of everywhere else.
Tom Hoefling: Intervene in Iran if a threat to national security or allies.
Karen Testerman: Define a clear mission in Iran, and whether it is vital.
Rob Maness: Stay out of Iran.
Sharon Hansen: Stay out of Iran unless Iran attacks us directly.
Matt Wiedenhoeft: Iran is an absolute and real threat.
Jim Rubens: Iran must not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons.
Scott Keller: Be about peace and the world will follow.
Scott Keller: Strongly favors US out of Iraq & Afghanistan.